Stake system for flatbed vehicles

ABSTRACT

A stake system for providing a removable support for articles being transported on flatbed vehicles is provided. The stake system has a composite body with a cap on one end and a boot on the opposite end. A cover layer is shrink wrapped over the composite body and may include a heat-activated adhesive. The boot includes a flange that contacts the flatbed vehicle when the stake system is inserted into pockets formed in the flatbed vehicle. A pin is tethered to the boot and may be inserted into a hole in the boot adjacent to the underside of the flatbed vehicle. The pin provides a convenient means for locking the stake system to the vehicle and prevents the stake system from disengaging during operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a stake for securing loads ona flatbed vehicle and more particularly to a stake having a compositebody.

Vehicles having open, unenclosed areas to accommodate loads of varyingtypes and configurations are quite common Examples of such vehicles areflatbed trucks and flatbed railroad cars. Frequently, such vehicles havea generally rectangular bed that includes a number of stake-receivingpockets positioned about the perimeter and center portions thereof. Thestakes are elongated members positioned within the peripherally disposedstake pockets and are provided to restrain the load in the event itshifts, and to prevent it from falling off the bed.

Stakes are typically fabricated out of wood such as oak or hickory, or ametal such as steel or aluminum. A u-shaped metal band may also bewrapped around one end of the stake where the stake is inserted into thevehicle pockets. The metal bands along with the wooden stake typicallyprovide sufficient weight to keep the stake in the vehicle pocket duringuse. However, under rough road conditions, the stakes occasionally exitthe pocket resulting in a loss of the stake.

The stakes often become damaged during use due to shifting loads andimpacts from other equipment, such as forklifts for example. The woodenstakes are also subject to damage due to wet conditions and insects. Assuch, truck stakes often have a limited lifespan and must be replaced ona regular basis to prevent the loads from falling off the bed duringoperation.

Thus, while existing stakes are suitable for their intended purpose,there remains a need for improvements. In particular, there remains aneed for improvements in the life and durability of truck stakes and thereliability in securing the stake to a vehicle body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle stake system is provided having a composite body. A boot iscoupled to the composite body in a first opening, wherein the opening isarranged in one end of the boot. A cap is coupled to the composite bodyopposite the boot. A cover layer is bonded to the composite body betweenthe boot and the cap.

A stake system for a flatbed vehicle having pockets is also provided.The stake system includes a boot sized to fit in the pocket. The boothas a first opening at one end and a plurality of core openings on anopposite end. The boot further includes a second opening adjacent theplurality of core openings and is arranged substantially perpendicularto the first opening. A pultruded fiberglass body member having one endis positioned in the first opening. A cap having a third opening issized to receive the body member opposite the boot. A cover layer isbonded to the body member between the boot and the cap.

A flatbed vehicle is also provided having a substantially planar areathat includes a first side and a second side. The planar area furtherincludes a plurality of pockets formed substantially perpendicular andthrough the planar area. A plurality of stakes is provided where each ofthe stakes is associated with one of the plurality of pockets. Thestakes comprise a boot sized to fit in the associated pocket, the boothaving a flange on one end wherein the flange is in contact with theplanar area first side, the boot further includes a first openingadjacent the flange. A composite body coupled to the first opening. Acap is coupled to the composite body. A cover layer is bonded to thecomposite body between the boot and the cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings, which are meant to be exemplary and notlimiting, and wherein like elements are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustration of a stake in accordance withan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side sectional view illustration of a stake body forthe stake of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is perspective view illustration of a stake boot for the stake ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side plan view illustration of a vehicle with the stake ofFIG. 1; and,

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the vehicle of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a stake system 20 for usewith a flatbed vehicle. The stake system 20 is used in conjunction withpockets in a flatbed vehicle to provide a removable support for articlescontained on the vehicle. As used herein, a flatbed vehicle is any meansof transportation having a planar area for moving and storing goods anditems. As such, a flatbed vehicle may be a truck, pickup truck, a trucktrailer, a railway car, a road train, hovercraft, or a boat for example.Further, the stake system 20 may also be used as a divider or to securecargo within enclosed vehicles such as a cargo container, a panel truck,or an airplane for example.

The stake system 20 includes an end cap 22 fitted over the end of acomposite body member 24. As will be discussed in more detail herein,the end cap 22 is made from a durable polymer, such as nylon 6/6 forexample, that is capable of performing in harsh operating environmentswithout chipping, cracking or exhibiting excessive wear.

The body member 24 has rounded corners 28 to facilitate the handling ofthe stake 20 during use. In the exemplary embodiment, the body member 24is made from a fiberglass laminate pultrusion having alternating layersof roving layers 27 and mat layers 29 as shown in FIG. 2. The laminatelayers 27, 29 are embedded in a resin such as epoxy, polyester or vinylester for example. An optional veil layer 31 may be laid over the outersurface of the body member 24 to protect the composite layers 27, 29from damage. The veil layer 31 is an ultra thin mat similar to a matlayer 29 that allows for a resin rich surface. The veil layer 31 may bemade from any suitable durable material, such as Kevlar.

The body member 24 is further covered by cover layer 26 that protectsthe composite body member during use. The cover layer 26 provides anadditional layer of protection for the laminate layers 27, 29 and alsoprotects the operator from coming into contact with fiberglass strands.In the exemplary embodiment, the cover layer 26 is a mono-directionalshrink-wrap material, such as polyolefin or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) forexample, having a thickness of 0.030 inches. In another embodiment, thecover layer 26 or the pultruded laminate layers 27, 29 are made from aself-healing polymer, such as self-healing polymers having micro or nanoscale capsules and catalyst particles within the resin for example. Thecapsules rupture when contacted by a crack releasing a liquid monomerthat fills the crack. The catalyst subsequently polymerizes the monomerand crack propagation is halted.

In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, a layer of adhesive 30 is disposedbetween the cover layer 26 and the body 24. The adhesive 30 providesadvantages in the event the cover layer 26 is damaged during use, theadhesive prevents the cover layer 26 from peeling away from the damagedlocation and exposing more of the body 24. It should be appreciated thatthe adhesive 30 may be a coating that is integral with the cover layer26 and heat activated during assembly, such as during the heat shrinkingfor example. Alternatively, the adhesive 30 may be applied to the body24 before the cover layer 26 is applied.

On the opposite end of the body member 24 is a boot 32. As shown in FIG.1 and FIG. 3, the boot 32 includes an opening 34 for a cavity on an end36. In the exemplary embodiment, the opening 34 extends ⅔ to ¾ of thelength of boot 32 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the end36. The opening 34 may have a draft such that the bottom is smaller thanthe entrance, however, the opening 34 is sized to receive the bodymember 24 to a sufficient depth to allow the body member 24 to becoupled to the boot 32. In one embodiment, the body member 24 is bondedto the boot 32 by an adhesive. In another embodiment, the body member 24is coupled to the boot 32 by a press fit.

The boot 32 includes a flange 38 extending from the end 36. As will bediscussed in more detail herein, when installed on a vehicle, the boot32 is inserted into a pocket. The flange 38 rests against the vehiclewhen the boot 32 is fully inserted and prevents the stake 20 fromfalling through the pocket. The boot also includes an opening 40adjacent the end 42 opposite the end 36. The opening 40 extends throughthe width of the boot 32 and is substantially perpendicular to theopening 34. A plurality of core openings 44 may be optionally formed inthe bottom of the boot 32. The core openings 44 reduce the weight of theboot 32 while allowing for structural support of the opening 40.

The boot 32 is made from a durable polymer that is capable of providingwear resistance with structural strength. In the exemplary embodiment,the boot 32 is injection molded from nylon 6/6 (such as Zytel®manufactured by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company). Preferably, theboot 32 is injection molded with virgin material, meaning that noregrind material is used. During testing, it was found that theinjection molding of virgin nylon 6/6 provided advantages in resistanceto wear, such as that caused by dragging the stake 20 over an asphalt orconcrete surface for example. The addition of regrind nylon materialssubstantially increased the amount of visible wear.

The stake 20 also includes a retaining pin 46 that has a diameter sizedto allow the pin 46 to be inserted into the opening 40. Duringoperation, the pin 46 is inserted into the opening 40 to prevent thestake 40 from moving laterally out of the vehicle pocket. The pin 46 ismade from a suitable material, such as steel or aluminum for example,that is capable of withstanding the impact loads of the pin on thevehicle during use without shearing. In the exemplary embodiment, thepin 46 also includes features such as a locking pin (not shown) thatprevents the pin 46 from falling out of the opening 40 during operation.Alternately, the pin 46 may have a hole on one side to receive a cotterpin. The pin 46 is coupled to the boot 32 by a cable 48 that attaches toa hole in the flange 38.

An exemplary application of the stake system 20 with a tractor-trailer50 is illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The tractor-trailer 50 includesa tractor or engine portion 52 and a trailer 54 having a planar area 56.The trailer 54 is commonly referred to as a “flatbed” trailer. Theplanar area 56 has an upper surface 58 where goods and articles arestored during transport. The planar area 56 also includes a lowersurface 60 opposite the upper surface 58. The planar area 56 alsoincludes a plurality of holes or pockets 62 (FIG. 5) that extend fromthe upper surface 58 and through the lower surface 60. The pockets 62are arranged a fixed distance, such as two feet for example, about theperiphery of the trailer 54. As discussed above, the pockets 62 aresized to receive the boot 32 of stake system 20.

The benefit of a flatbed type trailer is that it allows goods to beloaded from three sides. This is especially advantageous with long heavygoods, such as pipe or conduit for example, that are loaded by forklift.However, since the trailer 54 has no sides, articles being transportedcould fall off the trailer 54 during loading or in transit. To resolvethis issue, the stake system 20 and pockets 62 cooperate to form aremovable support system. To install the stake system 20, the operatorinserts the boot 32 into a pocket 62. The boot 32 travels through thepocket 62 until the flange 38 contacts the upper surface 58. It shouldbe appreciated that the flange 38 prevents the stake system 20 fromfalling completely through the pocket 62.

Once stake 20 is installed, the opening 40 in boot 32 is adjacent to andjust below the lower surface 60. The cable 48 is sufficiently longenough to allow the retaining pin 46 to be inserted into the opening 40.Once the pin 46 is installed, the stake system 20 cannot move verticallyout of the pocket 62. This provides a more reliable installation andprevents the loss of stakes 20 during rough driving conditions.

The stake system 20 provides a number of advantages in durability,reliability and performance. The stake system 20 may reduce the numberof stakes that are damaged during operation. Further, it should beappreciated that in the event that a stake system 20 incurs minordamage, the damaged area could be repaired with shrink wrap materialsimilar to layer 26 or with utility tape without jeopardizing thestructural integrity of the stake system 20. The stake system 20provides additional advantages in that the stake system 20 may beresistant to insect and water damage. The stake system 20 providesfurther advantages in that it is locked in pocket 62 and cannotaccidentally disengage from the vehicle during operation.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplaryembodiments, it will be understood that various changes may be made andequivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departingfrom the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may bemade to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of theinvention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore,it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particularembodiment disclosed as the best or only mode contemplated for carryingout this invention, but that the invention will include all embodimentsfalling within the scope of the appended claims. Also, in the drawingsand the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments ofthe invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, theyare unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense onlyand not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention thereforenot being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc.do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first,second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another.Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitationof quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of thereferenced item.

1. A stake system for a flatbed vehicle having pockets, said stakesystem comprising: a boot sized to fit in said pocket, said boot havinga first opening at one end and a plurality of core openings on anopposite end, said boot further having a second opening adjacent saidplurality of core openings and arranged substantially perpendicular tosaid first opening; a pultruded fiberglass body member having one endpositioned in said first opening; a cap having a third opening sized toreceive said body member opposite said boot; and, a cover layer bondedto said body member between said boot and said cap.
 2. The stake systemof claim 1 wherein said body member is bonded to said boot firstopening.
 3. The stake system of claim 2 wherein said cover layer is madefrom a shrink-wrap material having a heat activated adhesive on an innersurface.
 4. The stake system of claim 3 wherein said boot is made from anylon 6/6.
 5. The stake system of claim 3 wherein said body memberincludes a plurality of roving layers and mat layers impregnated with anepoxy resin.
 6. The stake system of claim 5 further comprising a pinhaving a diameter sized to be received in said second opening, said pinbeing coupled to said boot by a cable.
 7. The stake system of claim 6wherein said boot further includes a flange extending about theperiphery of said body adjacent said first opening, wherein said cablecouples to said flange.